For centuries, fish were simply regarded as a food source by mankind, and the concept of keeping them in an artificial environment for enjoyment was an alien one. So, who actually first thought of the idea of building an aquarium, and how did fishkeeping become the popular and rewarding hobby that it is today?

The ancient Chinese and Japanese cultures were among the first in the world to introduce the concept, according the Horniman Museum. The brightly coloured carp native to the region were kept in ceramic bowls. Indeed, fish are regarded as a lucky symbol in many areas of China today, and are thought to bring peace and prosperity to a home.

For those interested in the art of feng shui, placing a fish tank near to the entrance of a home is thought to cultivate a beneficial flow of energy, which attracts good fortune, abundance, wealth, and success. It is important to keep the water fresh and clean however, as stagnant water attracts negative energy.

In Europe, it is believed that the Romans kept ornamental fish in marble ponds at the grander villas of the era. By the 17th century, it became more common in Britain to see fish in bowls or botanical garden ponds, but they were still an unusual sight in domestic homes and gardens.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that the habit of keeping fish in clear glass containers seems to have made an impact, with goldfish often found swimming around in sweet jars, vases, and drinking vessels. The first purpose-built glazed tank for fishkeeping is credited to the marine zoologist Philip H Gosse, at some point in the mid 19th century.

Gosse developed a scientific understanding of the relationship between light sources, temperature, saltwater, plants, and animals, that forms the basis of modern aquarium keeping today. He also introduced the idea of placing rocks or sand on the tank floor, and he carefully studied the resulting aquatic ecosystem.

The first mass produced aquariums were facilitated by the Glass Duties Repeal Act of 1845, which made it much cheaper to manufacture tanks, or ‘parlour ponds’ as they were quaintly referred to by the middle-class Victorians who aspired to owning them. However, they often found that maintaining a healthy aquarium was not as simple as it seemed.

The first public display of a marine coral aquarium in the UK is thought to have taken place in 1847, at Westminster Abbey, and it was designed by Anna Thynne. The Marine Vivarium in the Zoological Gardens in Regent’s Park, London, soon followed in 1853, displaying a variety of crabs, fish, corals, and molluscs.

These prototype aquariums opened the floodgates, as it were, to a wave of large public aquariums opening around the country. The science of maintaining an artificial marine ecosystem was still in its infancy, however, and the quality of the environment was often substandard.

Now, modern technology means that setting up a beautiful saltwater tank is accessible to everyone. If you are looking for marine fish tank equipment for sale, please get in touch today.